Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dual-bearing reel, particularly to a brake device configured to brake a spool shaft in the dual-bearing reel.
Background Information
A dual-bearing reel is equipped with a brake device called a casting control mechanism configured to brake a spool shaft by making contact with the both ends of the spool shaft. A well-known brake device for casting control is configured to act even in winding a fishing line. Hence, rotational resistance occurs in winding the fishing line. In view of this, a type of well-known brake device has been produced that prevents occurrence of braking force with use of a one-way clutch in winding the fishing line (see e.g., Japan Laid-open Patent Application Publication No. H10-174540). The well-known brake device includes a tapered tube, a tapered coil spring and an operating member. The tapered tube is mounted in alignment with a gear and is configured to be unitarily rotated with the spool shaft. The tapered coil spring is contactable with the outer peripheral part of the tapered tube. The operating member is configured to extend and compress the tapered coil spring. One end of the tapered coil spring is hooked to the operating member, whereas the other end of the tapered coil spring makes contact with the gear. In the well-known brake device, when the spool shaft is rotated in a fishing-line casting direction, the coiled diameter of the tapered coil spring decreases and the tapered coil spring is wound onto the tapered tube. Thus, the spool shaft is braked through the tapered tube. By contrast, when the spool shaft is rotated in a fishing-line winding direction, the coiled diameter of the tapered coil spring increases and the tapered coil spring separates away from the tapered tube. Thus, braking of the spool shaft is released. The tapered coil spring herein functions as a one-way clutch and a brake member.
In the well-known brake device using the one-way clutch, the leading end (one end) of the coil spring is fixed to a braking three regulating knob (the operating member). Thus, rotational force inevitably acts on the braking force regulating knob in application of braking force. This may cause a situation that a braking force regulating position is displaced and braking force becomes unstable. On the other hand, the terminal end (the other end) of the coil spring makes contact with the gear configured to be unitarily rotated with the spool. Thus, even when the braking force regulating knob is loosened, frictional force is necessarily produced between the gear and the one-way clutch. Therefore, the brake device produces rotational resistance against the spool shaft in winding the fishing line.